‘It’s not all just about the dying’. Kaumātua Māori attitudes towards physician aid-in dying: A narrative enquiry

• Published in: Palliative medicine 2017-06, Vol.31 (6), p.544-552
• Main Authors: Malpas, Phillipa J, Anderson, Anneka, Jacobs, Pio, Jacobs, Takawai, Luinstra, Danielle, Paul, Dolly, Rauwhero, Jim, Wade, Julie, Wharemate, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Attitude to Death; Attitudes; Death & dying; End of life decisions; Female; Focus Groups; Health sciences; Humans; Leadership; Male; Maoris; Medical personnel; Middle Aged; Narratives; New Zealand; Physicians; Population Groups - psychology; Power; Recruitment; Researchers; Spiritualism; Suicide, Assisted - psychology
• ISSN: 0269-2163; 1477-030X
• DOI: 10.1177/0269216316669921

Aim: To explore kaumātua attitudes towards physician aid-in dying, to gain a clear understanding of how such attitudes may influence and shape their expectations of medical care at the end of life and to assist health professionals in Aotearoa/New Zealand to address the healthcare needs of older Māori near the end of life. Design: A kaupapa Māori consistent approach was undertaken. A systematic narrative technique was employed for the qualitative data analysis. Data were triangulated through independent data coding by three researchers (two of whom identified as Māori researchers), to ensure a robust and consistent method of analysis as well as adhering to a kaupapa Māori research approach. Setting/participants: Recruitment of participants was through kaumātua of Te Kupenga Hauora Māori (Māori leadership within the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences), University of Auckland and local Auckland marae. Focus group or individual interviews (as per their preference) were undertaken with 20 Kaumātua from the Auckland region. Results: Five closely interrelated themes were identified from kaumātua narratives regarding physician aid-in dying. These were (1) attitudes and understandings of physician aid-in dying, (2) influence of power, (3) significance of kawa, (4) whānau relationships and the (5) significance of wairua. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that for these kaumātua, medical practices that hasten death such as physician aid-in dying are ‘not all just about the dying’. Tikanga and kawa are important processes and concepts to understand during death and dying, and whānau are central to such processes being respected by those involved in the dying process. These factors are so closely intertwined that they cannot be considered in separation of each other.